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Paid Interviews is a new site that claims to get you a signing bonus for finding a new job. The title of the site is a little misleading, because you don't get paid for interviews, you only get paid after you have worked for a new company for 30 days. Their slogan is a little questionable as well. "Paid Interviews: For In-Demand People." The cynical side of me asks: what about the people who aren't in demand? What if you're just some average, 2.5 college GPA, three months of experience schmuck looking for a job? What then? Like many of the sites I've reviewed over the past few months, Paid Interviews promises a job matching technology that uses a candidate's preferences and skills to match them with an ideal job. They even have a fancy name for this: Optimatch Technology (TM). Ahh, the "opti" prefix, always a good choice for naming new technology.So how does the payment thing work? Who pays the money? Well, it's really like a normal signing bonus from a company. When the company offers … [Read more...] about Paid Interviews Launches Web Site

It's a rite of passage. You start a new job and your supervisor takes you on the world tour. After pointing out the restrooms and showing you the vending machines, you are introduced to droves of people, none of whom you will remember tomorrow. You're way too nervous worrying about making a good impression to employ all of those nifty mnemonic devices you once read about in the self-help aisle at the bookstore.Many work rituals are irksome, but after seeing the mass introduction NOT in effect, I must say, it has won me over. Let's take a closer look.WHY IT'S GOOD* Ever notice the new hire being trotted around the office by their boss? Once you see the parade of two under way, you start to mentally prepare. Perhaps you will deliver a funny one liner - or ask them where they worked before. Then it happens.You get s-k-i-p-p-e-d over.It's probably nothing personal, but you can't help but feel a tiny sting. Will you channel your annoyance at the new hire? Will this make your relationship … [Read more...] about Mass Introductions: For or Against?

What happens when a project drags on and on and on? I'm not talking days, weeks, or even months. I mean years.That's what has unfolded at my current gig, where a major project that I am ultimately responsible for is constantly put up on the shelf. Oh, there's plenty of talk about it. Just no action.Stalled. Stagnated. Stopped. These 'S' words suddenly sound uglier than the 'F' bomb.Sometimes I feel like I'm on a reality show. They must be laughing their butts off on the other side of the glass. It's like a never-ending filibuster that retards all progress. I can hear one of the producers now: "What's wrong with this guy? When is he just gonna get up and leave!?" Read more at U.S. News & World Report. … [Read more...] about Help! My Project Is in Quicksand

There's a 'holiday' for everything. And September is filled with them:  Dairy Week, Chimney Safety Week, Balance Awareness Week, and my favorite, National Clean Hands Week.But there's one event that holds a special place in my heart.  Perhaps it's because my mother is a payroll secretary. Or maybe it's the fact that these folks make sure 156 million wage earners in the U.S. get paid.  Whatever the case, pop a cold one and help Jobacle celebrate National Payroll Week!If you love your paycheck, and we know you do, send someone the PayDay Shuffle card.  If you're an HR professional, take the payroll quiz.But make sure you don't celebrate too hard; National Love Your Files Week is right around the corner (September 21).  Who comes up with this stuff? … [Read more...] about Happy National Payroll Week

Anyone else find it ironic that Labor Day, which is "a day off for the working citizens," signifies the official end of summer?  It's like all of America's supervisors saying:Here's a day off.  Get that lax summer attitude out of your system.  Then get back to work!Despite my efforts with Jobacle, and the economic/civil significance of the holiday, I can't recall ever reflecting on the state of my career on Labor Day.  In fact, my only real memory is betting my little sister that she couldn't stay awake for the entire MDA Telethon hosted by Jerry Lewis.  (Man, I was a cruel big brother!  But for the record, the challenge is still open, since she's never been able to do it.)How hard can I really celebrate the creation of the eight-hour workday in the United States?  It doesn't matter anyway, because, like you, I'm too busy packing away all of those white shoes to care. The number of holidays off continues to shrink, with Election Day and veteran's Day … [Read more...] about The Irony of Labor Day

Jobacle is an integral part of my life, and a project am I 100% committed to. Rarely do I miss weekday postings.  However, the craziness of moving has thrown me off my game. Who knew how stressful this would be (and how much crap I had accumulated!)?Thanks to everyone who noticed my absence and checked in.I'm pleased to report I am alive and well and that things are beginning to get back to normal.  Regular posting is not far behind...Thanks for your patience.  Together, we will continue to make work better.P.S. - You can always follow me on Twitter for a quick fix. … [Read more...] about Unannounced Hiatus. I Apologize.

I won't stop saying it until we drill it into your over-educated, stubborn head: Only a sucker loses sick days at the end of the year!With Memorial Day behind us and the days of summer upon us, we hope you're doing more than just taking those white shoes out of storage.Golden sun, ocean waves and cold beers should be enough reason to call in sick, but if your struggling for a 'good reason,' consider some of these June 'events':- Adopt a Shelter Cat Month- Effective Communications Month - National Accordion Awareness MonthHeck, call in on Monday, June 8 to celebrate your Triple Crown winnings after you bet on Big Brown at the Belmont Stakes.Your boss will use days.  Your boss's boss will use days.  Don't play the hero.  And if you're holding out for a "perfect attendance" award - click away from this blog. Now!  ;-)Download the Jobacle Sick Day Calendars here:Black Calendar // White CalendarGet the full list of official 2008 sick days here.  … [Read more...] about Sick Day Calendar: Summer Edition

At one time or another, we've all had a coworker that got underneath our skin.  OK, if I’m being honest, I’ve had colleagues I wanted to call a hit on just so I wouldn’t have to hear their whiny voices anymore.  The unfortunate part about these situations is that it always affects your work- whether you are working on a project with the offender - or if they're just an interruption during your day. In some instances, there is potential for resolution.  However, you may come across people in the workplace that you just plain can’t stand.  There is no straightforward answer on how to deal with a coworker that you despise.  I deal with them by using what I call the 3 P’s. *Patience:  I know, patience is a virtue.   Think of them as a small child; they don’t know any better, so be patient with them. *Professionalism:  Remember, you are in a professional work environment.  This isn’t Melrose Place, … [Read more...] about Hate a Coworker? Use the 3 P's!

If you're looking for new media job postings, there's a new job board you'll want to check out: NewMediaHire.com.  Covering everything from blogging gigs to online video production, the Website promises the freshest leads in the rapidly-expanding digital technology niche.Jobseekers can apply for free, while job posters will pay $199 per posting ($25 per internship posting).  Employers can also peruse anonymous resumes, only paying  a nominal fee when the reach out to a potential candidate - and the person says they are interested.NewMediaHire lets you pinpoint your job search with RSS feeds that can be sent to your computer or mobile device.As a new media professional myself, I plan to upload my resume to explore the effectiveness of the system and the quality of the job leads.Discussion forums are promising for the new media field, though at this point, are lightly trafficked.  During several different visits, I was the lone troller.Featured jobs scroll on by on … [Read more...] about New Media Hire Launches Job Board